Deep dives / n8n
n8n: deep dive
A visual workflow builder with AI agent nodes you can self-host.
- Type
- Automation platform
- Price
- Free self-host / paid cloud
- Free trial
- Yes: free trial, no credit card required
- Setup
- Medium
What n8n does
n8n is a fair-code workflow automation platform with native AI capabilities. You combine a visual canvas with custom code, run it self-hosted or in n8n's cloud, and connect it to more than 1,500 integrations, according to its README.
- Agents, MCP and AI nodes are listed in its cloud plans.
- Workflows can include your own code alongside visual steps.
- A free Community Edition you can self-host.
- Error workflows and execution history for monitoring.
Best-fit jobs
Where n8n fits best, from our advanced jobs and categories:
Data-pipeline and automation monitoringInvoice and finance back-office workflowAll Small-business automation tools
Setup effort: Medium
Cloud: sign up and build a first workflow in an hour. Self-hosting: plan time for installation, updates, backups and security.
Pricing explained
- n8n prices by workflow executions rather than by step or user. Cloud plans, billed annually: Starter 20 EUR per month (2.5K executions), Pro 50 EUR (10K executions), Business 667 EUR (40K executions, self-hosted). Enterprise is custom.
- The Community Edition is free to self-host, under the Sustainable Use License.
- There is a free trial with no credit card required.
- Starter allows 5 concurrent executions; higher plans allow more.
| Plan | Price as shown by the vendor |
|---|---|
| Community Edition | Free, self-hosted (Sustainable Use License) |
| Starter (cloud) | 20 EUR/month billed annually (2.5K workflow executions) |
| Pro (cloud) | 50 EUR/month billed annually (10K executions) |
| Business | 667 EUR/month billed annually (40K executions, self-hosted) |
| Enterprise | Custom |
Prices are as shown on the vendor's pages and change often. Source: https://n8n.io/pricing/.
Strengths
- Pay for complete workflow runs, not each step.
- Self-hosting option for data control.
- Visual building plus custom code.
- Large integration list and AI agent features.
Honest limitations
- The license is fair-code, not OSI open source, so check the terms for your use.
- Self-hosting means you handle updates, security and scaling.
- The Business plan is self-hosted only, per the pricing page.
- Concurrency and execution limits apply on lower plans.
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Your AI tool here
Reach people actively choosing a bot for small-business automation. Clearly labelled, one advertiser per slot.
Sponsor this spotWho should skip it
Skip it if you want a purely no-code assistant with no building, or if you need a license that is strictly open source.
FAQ
How much does n8n cost?
Cloud plans billed annually are Starter at 20 EUR per month, Pro at 50 EUR and Business at 667 EUR, with Enterprise custom. The Community Edition is free to self-host.
Is n8n open source?
It is fair-code under the Sustainable Use License, which is source-available but not OSI open source.
Does n8n charge per step?
No. It charges by complete workflow executions, regardless of steps.
Is there a free trial?
Yes, the pricing page offers a free trial with no credit card.
Official links
Neutral write-up based on the vendor's public pages and documentation. No sponsorship is implied. Always confirm details on the official site.
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